The invention relates to the disposal of waste material, and particularly to the convenient disposal of dog excrement, hereinafter referred to as dog waste.
There is currently a widespread problem of dogs fouling public places with their waste, the main problem areas being public footpaths, parks and playing fields. The presence of such waste is unpleasant and unsightly, and can represent a significant health risk, particularly for children playing in areas which have been fouled by dogs.
In such areas it is normally left to employees of the local Council to clear up dog waste. Efforts have been made to educate the dog-owning public themselves to dispose of the waste left by their dogs, and scoops and similar devices are available to enable a dog owner to clear up the waste. However, such devices are not widely used, largely due to the problem of disposing of the waste after it has been cleared up. It is inconvenient for the dog owner to carry the waste home for disposal in a domestic lavatory, and where waste is deposited in rubbish bins, the unpleasant task of finally disposing of the waste is still left to Council employees whose job it is to empty the bins. While the waste is in the rubbish bins it can cause unpleasant smells, attract flies and generally be a hazard to health.
The present invention sets out to overcome these problems by providing a purpose-built disposal unit which may be installed in any public area to provide for the immediate and convenient disposal of dog waste and thereby encourage dog owners themselves to clear up and dispose of the waste left by their dogs.